LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake Family Resource Center invites the community to join in recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month, or SAAM, is about more than just awareness; it promotes prevention and creates education for overall safer communities.

The main purpose of SAAM is to help increase public awareness about sexual assault and to educate communities and individuals on how to help prevent sexual violence and increase healthy sexuality and relationships.

The 2019 National Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign theme is “I Ask.”

“I Ask” encourages everyone to ask, listen, and respect boundaries and consent.

The campaign champions the power of consent, whether it be asking to hold someone’s hand, for permission to share personal information with others or if a partner is interested in taking the next step in a relationship.

“I Ask” is the statement by which individuals will demonstrate that asking for consent is a healthy, normal and necessary part of everyday interactions, and it will set an example for their partners, friends and loved ones.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Lake County will be proclaimed at the following events:

– 9:10 a.m., Tuesday April 9, Board of Supervisors meeting, board chambers, first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport;
– 6 p.m. Thursday, April 11, at the Clearlake City Council meeting, 14050 Olympic Drive;
– 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, Lakeport City Council, City Hall, 225 Park St.

Lake Family Resource Center invites the public to attend and pledge to take action in our communities and stop sexual assault and other forms of abuse before they start.

The organization also asks the community to participate in Denim Day on Wednesday, April 24.

On Denim Day, you can help “break the silence by breaking the dress code” by wearing jeans on Denim Day.

For more information on Denim Day and various Sexual Assault Awareness Month activities please contact Gina Pilat at 707-279-0563, Extension 106.

For those dealing with the impacts of sexual assault and needing help – or who know someone who needs assistance – Lake Family Resource Center’s Rape Crisis Center offers free services including a 24/7 Community Crisis Line (1-888-485-7733) answered by trained sexual assault advocates.

The Rape Crisis Center also provides individual counseling, support, safety plans, education, hospital accompaniment, law enforcement advocacy and court advocacy for all victims of sexual assault and their significant others.

Cassandra Legg is a sexual assault family advocate with Lake Family Resource Center.